Heating oil prices rise almost 110% in a week

The Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) said the price of heating oil rose by almost 110% over the past week, a knock-on effect of the ongoing conflict in the Middle East and fluctuating oil prices¹. The Institute welcomed the government's announcement of a £53 million support package for households affected by rising heating oil costs, made on 16 March 2026¹.

The two official sources give different figures for the scale of the increase. The CTSI cites a rise of almost 110% over the past week¹. House of Commons Library briefings describe average UK heating oil prices rising from 53 pence per litre in February 2026 to £1.04 per litre in March 2026, a 95% increase in a single month, following strikes by Israel and the United States against Iran on 28 February 2026³. Data published by the supplier BoilerJuice indicated a rise of over 100%, from approximately 60 pence per litre to over 120 pence per litre between the end of February and mid-March 2026, while Northern Ireland's Consumer Council recorded an increase of approximately 85 to 95%². Typical mid-month prices were 104 pence per litre in March and April 2026, surpassing the previous peak in June 2022⁵.

The £53 million is divided between the four nations²:

Heating oil is not covered by Ofgem's energy price cap, leaving consumers fully exposed to sudden market increases¹. The government has said that introducing a price cap on heating oil risks negative unintended consequences and could drive suppliers out of the market if wholesale prices rose above the cap². The Competition and Markets Authority has launched a review into breaches of consumer law in the heating oil market and a Heating Oil market study².

The CTSI also warned about the accuracy of deliveries. Under Weights and Measures legislation, Trading Standards officers check that tanker meter measuring systems are accurate and properly sealed¹. Data submitted through the statutory Section 70 returns shows that in 2024 to 2025 only 13 out of 189 local authorities in Great Britain reported inspecting any bulk fuel tankers, and even where inspections were recorded they did not always involve testing meter accuracy¹.

"Most Trading Standards Services across Great Britain lack the specialist equipment and facilities required to carry out effective bulk fuel inspections. With recent rapid increases in fuel prices, it is more important than ever that UK consumers can be confident they are receiving exactly what they pay for."

Why it matters for households

Heating oil is bought in bulk and paid for upfront, so a price movement of this size lands on a household in a single delivery rather than being spread across a quarterly bill. Because heating oil sits outside the energy price cap, there is no regulated ceiling on what a supplier can charge, and prices vary day to day and between local areas³. The published heating oil and LPG price data is the main way to see what is being charged locally.

Reliance on oil is unevenly distributed. In England and Wales, over 860,000 homes rely on heating oil¹, and 3.5% of households used it as their sole source of heating at the 2021 census². In Northern Ireland, 49.5% of households used oil as their sole source of heating, rising to 62.5% when households using it alongside another source are included². In Wales, roughly 28% of rural homes use it as their primary heating source¹. Households using alternative fuels are more likely than others to be classified as being in fuel poverty, and to experience deeper fuel poverty, partly because properties off the gas grid tend to be less energy efficient³.

For a home with an oil boiler, the practical exposure is twofold: the price paid per litre, and whether the meter on the tanker delivered the quantity paid for. The CTSI's concern is that the second check is now rarely carried out¹. Trading Standards budgets have fallen by around 50% following successive reductions in local authority funding, and the Institute has proposed a phased increase in funding rising to £100 million over four years¹.

What happens next

A Westminster Hall debate on government support for the cost of heating oil has been scheduled for 9.30am on 15 April, to be opened by Steff Aquarone MP². The UK Government has written to the UK and Ireland Fuel Distribution Association setting out its expectations of the sector, and says it may introduce new consumer protections for the domestic heating oil market depending on the outcome of the CMA's investigations². The CTSI is calling for renewed investment in local Trading Standards services, including additional funding and specialist training for legal metrology work¹.

Sources5 cited

1. [](https://www.tradingstandards.uk/news-policy-campaigns/news-room/2026/cost-of-living-pressures-and-soaring-prices-expose-gaps-in-bulk-fuel-checks/), tradingstandards.uk
2. Government support for the cost of heating oil - House of Commons Library, commonslibrary.parliament.uk
3. Households off the gas-grid and prices for alternative fuels - House of Commons Library, commonslibrary.parliament.uk
4. [](https://researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/CBP-9838/CBP-9838.pdf), researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk
5. Domestic energy prices: In short - House of Commons Library, commonslibrary.parliament.uk